Reversible feed mechanism for machine guns



May 1, 1934- J. 1.. HATCHER REVERSIBLE FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS Filed Jan. 28, 1933 Inventcrr Lian LE5 L-Hatther WM Attorney Patented May 1, 1934 YES LtEt SM REVERSEBLE FEED MECHANISM FOR MACHINE GUNS James L. Hatoher, United States Army, Winchester, Va.

Application January 28, 1933, Serial No. 653,991

2 laims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a reversible feed mechanism for machine guns and is an improvement on the mechanism shown in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,625,993 and 1,803,351.

In the former patent a cam plate provided with a single cam slot is reversible. In the latter patent a breech bolt is provided with two intersecting cam paths and has a movable switch at the intersection of the cam paths.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a reversible feed mechanism by the employment of a pivotally mounted cam follower.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the breech bolt showing the cam follower at the intersection of the cam paths.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1, with the cam follower in an alternate position.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section showing the relation of the bolt to the cartridge feed mechanism.

Fig. l is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference there is shown a portion of a machine gun including a casing 5 having a transverse feedway 6 in which a reversibly mounted slide '7 is reciprocated by means of a lever 8. The lever 8 is intermediately pivoted in the cover 9 of the casing by means of the pin 10 and has an offset rear end 11. A more or less boat-shaped cam follower 12 is carried on the offset end 11 of the lever by means of a pintle 13 and is normally maintained in a predetermined position relative thereto by means of a spring 14 one end of which is secured to a stud 15 on the rear end of the follower and the other end of which is inserted through an aperture 16 in the offset portion 11 of the lever.

The upper face of an axially reciprocable bolt 18 is provided with two oppositely inclined, in- -tersecting cam paths 19 and 20 in which the cam follower 12 is adapted to ride. The path 19 is employed when it is desired to move the slide '7 to advance a cartridge belt from left to right and the path 20 is employed when the bolt is to be advanced from right to left, the advance being made on the counterrecoil stroke of the bolt.

The width of the cam follower is determined by the width of the cam paths l9 and 20 in which the follower is to be freely movable. The length of the follower is determined by the dimensions of the area of intersection of the two cam paths, the purpose being to insure a smooth movement of the follower while crossing the intersection and to positively prevent the follower from turning out of its selected path.

Because the length of the follower is greater than the width of the cam paths it is necessary that it rotate relative to the lever in negotiating the curves of the cam paths.

Malfunctions occuring in the gun may cause the breech bolt to be arrested in various positions of its recoil stroke. When the cover 9 is raised to correct the stoppage the cam follower 12 is withdrawn from the cam path by virtue of the mounting of the lever 8 in the cover. The spring 14 immediately restores the follower to its predetermined angular position relative to the lever, which position is parall l to the axis of the breech bolt and in alignment with the ends of the cam paths. When the stoppage has been corrected, the breech bolt moves into battery and upon lowering the cover the follower will enter the cam path.

In adjusting the feed mechanism to feed from the ri ht or from the left it is only necessary to reverse the slide 7 which step is common to all of the reversible feed mechanisms. Upon reversal of the slide the lever 8 will be in position of adjustment and the cam follower 12 will engage the appropriate cam path 19 or 20.

I claim:

1. In a gun, a breech casing, a cover hinged to the casing and having a transverse feed channel therein, an axially movabie breech bolt in the casing having two intersecting cam paths, means adapted for feeding cartridges through the channel in either direction, a lever pivotally mounted in the cover and having one end engageable with said means, the other end of the lever being oif- 5 set, an elongated cam follower pivotally mounted on the oifset end of the lever, and a spring engaging the cam follower and the ofiset of the lever and normally holding the follower in a predetermined angular position relative to the lever.

2. In a gun, a breech casing, a cover hinged to said means, an elongated cam follower pivotally mounted on the other end of the lever, and means for normally holding the follower in a predetermined angular position relative to the lever.

JAMES L. HATCHER. 

